Means for storing, displaying, and measuring goods.



PATBNTED MAR. 2,9, 1904.

R. MILLERI- MEANS FOR STORING, DISPLAYING, AND MEASURING GOODS.

APPLIATION EILBD FEB. 27. 1903.

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No. 756,128. PAT'ENTED MAR.'29, 1904- R. G. MILLER. MEANS FOR STORING, DISPLAYING, AND MEASURING GOODS. APPLICATION FILED rma. 27. 190s.

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UNITED 'STATES- Patented March 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

' ROY C. MILLER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO MARTIN vV. HAMMAOK, OF JAOKSONDALE, VIRGINIA, GODFREY L.` SMITH, OF NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, AND LESLIE L. DAVIS, OFv

PORTSMOUTH, vrEGrNrA.

MEANS STORING, DISPLAYING', AND MEASURING GOODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,128, dated March 29, 1904.

Application filed February 27, 1903. Serial No. 145,355. (No model.)

To all whom/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY C. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Storing, Displaying, and Measuring Goods, of which the followingis' a specification. Y

My invention relates to devices for stowing, displaying, and vending dry goods or other fabrics made in a strip and` wound on a spinmethod of selling dry goods or other goods in rolls or bolts is not at, all satisfactory and f that it necessitates the expenditure of a large amount of time and a great deal of muscular exertion on the parts of the clerks, besides resulting in the spoiling' and rumpling of the goods. Moreover, the goods are ordinarily stowed on shelves back of the clerks, the space under the counters beingfor the most part waste space. shelves out of reach and out of range of close inspection of the customers results in the exposure of the goods to dust and light and the necessity of the clerks lifting the goods down onto the counter and unrolling the bolts, all

of this resulting in loss of time and in confusion. The fact of the existence of waste space under the counters which might be utilized results in a considerable initial expenditure of capital to obtain the necessary floor Y area to meet the requirements of the trade.

- In my invention 'I have overcome these objectionable features without introducing any The fact of the stowage on others, and I have also provided a number of novel and desirable features which will result in a further economy in expense. f'

In order tofobtain these objects, I provide a counter somewhat similar to the usual form in outward appearance, means for suspending the bolts, &c., on axles under the counter,

slots in the top of the counter to'permit the passage of the goods through the' counter, means for preventing the cloth or goods from slipping back through the slots, rolling platforms on which to measure and transport the goods, and tracks on or back ofthe counter on which the said platforms or carriers may be made to traverse the length of the counter.

In order to more clearly explain the many novel features of my invention and the method of its operation, I will proceed to describe it in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken near the outer edge of the counter,

the counter being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the method of suspending the bolts on axles and the arrangement of the traveling Vplatform. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the top of the counter, showing the slots, h-inges,and rollers. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the top, illustrating the arrangement of theflanges, roller-bearings, &c. Y v

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the top is composed of a number of sections 19, bolted together and faced on the outside by a coping 27 and by asimilar coping v on vthe inside, the coping being made in Vlong sections and bolted or secured to the sections 19 across their ends. Each of the top sections 19 is a unit in itself and consists of a body, preferably of metal,'a roller 24, pivoted at 56, as shown in Fig. 4, and afiap 20, whose top surface is ush with thesurface'of the body of 19 and which is constrained to pivot about its back edge by means of a hinge or hinges 49 or the device, as shown in Fig. 1,

which consists of a lug 21, provided with a circular slot 22, into which are inserted the pins 23, said pins being driven or screwed into the body 19. The front edge of the iiap thus moves in a circular path With the back edge as its center and normally resting against the roller 24, the fabric being inserted and held between the iiap and roller.

The top composed as described is supported as a whole by the uprights 1 2, having bases 9, fastened to strip 12 by bolts 10 and 11, which are spaced at suitable intervals and are provided with lugs 3 4 5 6 7 or any other number, as may be desired, and laps 13 14 15 16 17, the purpose of these lugs being to support the arbors or axles, on which the bolts 52 53 54 are carried. One method of securing the uprights to the top sections is shown in Fig. 2 at 8, although any other suitable means may be employed.

For the purpose of supporting and centering the bolts arbors 31 34 are provided, as shown in Fig. 2. These arbors may be made in any suitable form; but I prefer to make them in either of the two ways shown on the upper and on the middle bolt. In the upper one the arbor consists of the body 31,provided with a cylindrical recess 37, which rests in the hollow between the lugs (3 4, Sac.) and the upright and which serves to prevent end motion of the bolt and the thin palms 32, which embrace the bolt-board 41 and are furnished on their inner surfaces with the teeth 33, which sink into the board and hold the arbor rigid with reference to the board. At the other end of the bolt is fitted a similar arbor, with the exception that the recess 37 is replaced by a threaded recess 48, into which is screwed or pinned the spindle 44, which forms an extension of the arbor and is provided at the bearing end with a square or hexagonal recess 46, into which a crank-handle 47 may be removably inserted for the purpose of rotating the bolt. It will be seen that, the Width of the counter being fixed, spindles of different lengths must be used in order to accommodate different lengths of bolt-boards and still keep the end of the spindle in its proper relation to the inner upright.

In the form of arbor shown on the middle bolt there is, as before, a body 34, made in this case in halves, having at the bolt end a series of teeth and at the bearing end a bifurcated threaded neck 35, on which is carried the inside-threaded sleeve 36. This sleeve is provided with a cylindrical recess 37', which serves the same purpose as the recess on the upper arbor. By screwing the sleeve upon the neck the teeth are made to hold the board firmly. At the other end of theboard is a corresponding arbor 42, with the spindle 44, similar to the one above, except that it serves as a sleeve to embrace the threaded neck 43. Milled cylindrical rims 45 may be used on any of their arbors to permit their being tightened up by hand.

The front or customers side of the counter may be made in panels of wood or metal, as at 30, Fig. 1, dotted lines. As shown in Fig. 2, it is of metal, with edge and panel strips 28 and 29 of wood. It is intended to make certain of the front panels ixed and certain of them removable for the purpose of facilitating the insertion of the bolts and inspection of the interior of the counter. In the case of the removable panels I prefer to fit them with front and rear pegs 39 and 60 on the bottom, which pegs are inserted into holes in the iioor 38, the tops being free to move upward until the pegs clear sufliciently to permit the lifting out of the panel. The back or clerks side of the counter may also be made in similar panels, a similar arrangement for making them easily portable being provided. Holes at suitable locations and bearing the proper relationship to the spindles should be made in the back panels to permit the insertion of the crankhandle 47.

On top of the counter and forming, preferably, a part of the copings 27 and 50 are shallow tracks and 61, on which runs a carriage or platform 63, supported on rollers 64 and 62. This traveling platform serves as a means of keeping the different fabrics separate when measuring (a scale or a number of marks being provided on the inner edge for the purpose of measuring) and of preventing rumpling. p If desired, a separate traveling carriage may be run at the back of the counter to provide transportation for the goods to the wrapping-counter and back again.

In operation a pair of arbors is attached to a bolt-board. The front end of the arbor is inserted in the proper lap, as at 13, the front portable panel being removed temporarily for that purpose, and the spindle at the back end of the bolt is inserted into the corresponding lap on the back standard. The fabric is next fed up through the proper slot, the flap 2O being thrown back for this purpose, and the iap is then replaced, the friction between fabric and flap being sufficient to prevent the fabric from slipping back. Any desired length of fabric is now pulled out and measured, the excess being wound upon the bolt by means of the crank-handle 47, the flap being lifted to permit this. The edge of the fiap now serves to guide the cutting instrument, thus insuring a straight and square cut, after which any desired length may be pulled out to serve as a sample. The traveling platform now serves as a separate counter on which to fold the goods or transport them, if desired.

It is my intention to make these counters of certain widths to accommodate certain widths of goods; but it will be readily seen that as long as the slots in the top are long enough IOO IIO

the spindles, such as aweight and string, a'

spring, &c.

It will thus be seen that I have secured by my invention an arrangement of a counter which is at once neat, substantial, durable,

compact, and convenient, and one which will" result in a material saving in cost in the long run. It will, moreover, do away with the necessityfor bundle messengers, and will thus result in clearer passage-ways.

Having thus described my invention in detail and pointed out its advantages, I wish to state, additionally, that I do not desire to confine myself to the exact form shown in the drawings, but reserve the right to change the construction as regards material, proportions, and details, provided that in so doing I do not depart from the essential features of my intion as shown and described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a counter forming a casing, supports arranged within said casing, journals bearing in said supports and forming the mounting for boards, reels of goods on said boards, means for winding and unwinding the reels of goods, and a top mounted on the counter and having slits for the passage of the goods, and guide-rollers and yielding guides adjacent to said slits engaging said goods.

2. The combination of a counter forming a casing, uprights arranged in said casing, rolls of goods mounted in said uprights, atop ar,- ranged on the counter and having slits for the passage of the. goods, 'and guide-rollers and yielding guides adjacent to said slits.

3. The combination of a series of vertical supports, adjustable arbors mounted in said supports, bolts of goods carried b v said arbors, a top formed with passages for the goods,

and a traveling platform onsaid top.

4. The combination of a counter, rails mounted thereon and formed with tracks, ,a platform having the rollers traveling on said tracks, a top resting on the counter and having slits, supports below the top, and bolts of goods mounted in said supports and having their free ends passing through said slits.

5. The combination of the counter forming a storing-casing supports arranged therein and having bearings, arbors or journals mounted in said bearings, boards connected to said arbors, `rolls of goods on said boards, the top Vformed with the slits and the devices for retaining the goods in the slits and a platform traveling on the top portion.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROY o. MILLER. 

